Date of Award

5-31-2026

Document Type

Open Access Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Arts (MA)

Department

Clinical Psychology

First Advisor

Abbey Eisenhower

Second Advisor

Devin Attalah

Third Advisor

Evan Auguste

Abstract

Haitian people have a unique history of trauma shaped by colonial violence, the brutal legacy of slavery, and political instability all of which intersect to create a complex and multifaceted experience of trauma across generations. This study explores how intergenerational and historical trauma are understood, carried and expressed across generations in the Haitian community. Drawing from grounded theory, this research examines the layered effects of colonial violence and chronic instability on Haitian people. While trauma is typically described as an individual phenomenon, this project is examining trauma as a relational process that manifests amongst different generations. Through in-depth qualitative interviews, this study seeks to uncover how Haitian people conceptualize their trauma and seeks to understand how trauma is transmitted. By centering Haitian voices and acknowledging the unique historical and sociopolitical context of Haiti, this study aims to develop a culturally grounded theory to understanding intergenerational and historical trauma in this community.

Comments

Free and open access to this work is made available to the UMass Boston community by ScholarWorks at UMass Boston. Those not on campus and those without a UMass Boston campus username and password may gain access to this work through Interlibrary Loan. If you have a UMass Boston campus username and password and would like to download this work from off-campus, click on the “Off-Campus Users” button.

Download

Additional Files

CARRENARD THESIS SIGNATURE PAGE[49].pdf (193 kB)

  Contact Author

Share

COinS